Safety razor construction



Feb- 21, 1956 J. l.. GYLLENBERG 2,735,174

SAFETY RAZOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Deo. l1, 1951 m. m m m 7 @fg/vlag @LMA/5M@ Mlm/md moQN/e ys SAFETY RAZGR CNSTRUCTION John Lee Gyllenberg, Baker, Oreg., assignor to Anthony Brandenthaler, Baker, Greg.

Application December 11, 1951, Serial No. 260,997

7 Claims. (Cl. 30-49) This invention relates to improvements in safety razors.

A particular example of the prior art razors upon which the present invention seeks to improve is the safety razor disclosed in United States Patent 2,026,229 issued to Chester A Gratiot. As shown therein, the razor includes a cap and a guard between which is clamped the blade, the cap being provided with a hook extending through the blade and guard and to which a handle is attachable. The various parts are so designed that movement of the handle from a substantially parallel position in respect to the cap in which it is received by the hook and in which the cap, guard and blade are only loosely held together, to a perpendicular position secures the various parts in their operative condition, the handle being held in operative position by a slight toggle action between the parts. However, no means are provided for positively preventing the accidental movement of the handle from the operative position whereupon the blade may be exposed accidentally, obviously an unsatisfactory condition.

lt is a principal object of the present invention, then, to provide means for positively locking razor handles of the foregoing type in the operative position.

A further object of the invention is to provide locking means including a retractable detent extending from the handle and adapted to engage a cooperative notch formed in the hook of the cap.

A still further object is to provide means for retracting the detent including a motion translating mechanism disposed within the handle and operative upon depression of a plunger projecting from the end of the handle.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a perusal of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, while the features of novelty will be pointed out with greater partieularity in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is an elevation of a razor assembled in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the razor in position for washing and drying of the same, the position also being one assumed in the course of assembling and disassembling the razor, a portion of the head and handle of the razor being shown in cross-section for greater clarity; i

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing the yoke formed on the razor handle;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, partly in cross-section, showing the manner in which the handle is locked to the cap in accordance with the embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 5 and 6 are longitudinal views through the handle drawn to an enlarged scale showing the detent mechanism in various operating positions thereof;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7--7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the blade of the razor;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the guard of the razor:

nited States Patent 2,735,174 Patented Feb. 21, 1956 Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the cap; and

Fig. 11 is a view of a section 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown therein a razor comprising a cap 11, one surface of which may conform to an oblique segment of a prolate spheroid to form a concave surface against which a blade 12 is clamped by a convex surface complementary thereto formed on the guard piece 13, the above members being removably attachable to a handle 14. For further details of the construction of a cap and guard having clamping surfaces formed in the manner described above, reference is made to United States Patent 2,026,229, issued December 31, 1935, to Chester A. Gratiot. The cap is provided with handle attachment means, there being formed thereon a hook element 17 perpendicular to a middle tangent of the cap and approximately in the center thereof, the hook being adapted to engage the handle in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter. Formed in the hook is a recess or notch 18 and a stop 19.

The blade 12 is of the double-edge type and is formed of such material as will provide for flexure thereof when it is clamped between the cap and the guard, but is normally at. The blade is provided with a longitudinal slot 22 parallel with the two cutting edges, the slot being adapted to receive therethrough the hook element 17 of the cap 11.

The guard 13 is formed with a convex, prolate spheroidal surface as before explained, and is perforated with three longitudinal slots 25, 26 and 27, the slot 26 being adapted to receive cooperatively therethrough the hook element 17. The purpose of the slots 25 and 27 is fully explained in the patent to Gratiot, supra.

The handle 14 is provided with a generally tubular handgrasping portion 28 having a knurled surface 29 from which extends a bifurcated end portion forming a yoke 30 having arms 31 and 32. Secured to and extending between the arms 31, 32 is a pin 33 situated at a distance from the ends of the arms greater than half the width of the yoke 30.

The razor is assembled by holding the cap 11 with the hook element 17 extending upwardly. The blade 12 is then placed over the hook element 17 and the guard 13 over the blade. The hook element 17 extends through the slot 22 of the blade 12 and the opening 26 of the guard 13 with the opening to the eye of the hook spaced above the concave surface of the guard a distance slightly less than half the width of the yoke. With the pieces forming the head of the razor thus assembled, the handle may be attached thereto. The hook element 17 is adapted to receive the handle 14 in a rst angular position and to engage the handle in a second angular, razor-operative position, in which latter position the handle acts to secure the whole together. To attach the handle to the hook element 17 the handle'14 is held with the edges of the yoke halves 31 and 32 bearing on the concave surface of the guard with the handle in the relative angular position shown in Fig. 2. Pressure on the guard 13 will cause the blade 12 to flex and permit the pin 33 to pass through the opening into the eye of the hook by a slight relative longitudinal movement of the handle. In this condition of the razor the resilient action of the blade 12 biases the pin 33 into the eye of the hook 17 and prevents accidental disengagement of the handle from the cap land guard assembly. As may be seen in Fig. 2, the lcap, blade and guard are separated by appreciable distance, which permits of easy washing and drying of the parts of the razor head. To place the razor in operative condition for shaving, the handle 14 is raised to the perpendicular position shown in Fig. 1, the stop 19 engaging the handle in this position to prevent further relative movement thereof, as shown in Fig. 4. The inherent tog- 3 gle action cf the foregoing movement clamps the cap 11 and the guard together to give the blade 12 the desired curvature.

In accordance with my invention, cooperative locking means are provided on the handle d4 and the hook element 17 for positively restraining accidental movement between the handle andthe head from the razor-operative position. Further means cooperatively arranged with the locking means are provided for effecting release thereof. In the disclosed embodiment of the invention the handle 14 is provided with a retractable detent 35 extending axially from the handle between the arms 31 and 32 of the yoke 30 and adapted to engage with the notch 18 of the hook 17 when the handle is moved to the operative position of the razor, as shown in Fig. 4. Disposed within the handle and operatively connected to the detent 35 for effecting its retraction from engagement with notch 18, is a motion-translating cam means or, more specifically, a motion-directicin-reversing means. Referring more particularly to Figs. and 6, the detent includes a cylindrical shank portion 36 movably disposed within the handle 14, the shank being formed with a conical cam 37 on the end thereof, the surface of which defines an obtuse angle with the surface of the shank 36. The distal end of the handle 14, that is, the end opposite the yoke is provided with a counterbore 34 within which is disposed a reciprocally movable operating plunger 38. The portion of the plunger 38 adapted to extend outwardly from the handle is formed with a diameter slightly less than that of the inwardly disposed portion thereof, thereby forming an annular shoulder 42 on the plunger which is adapted to engage the cooperative shoulder 43 formed on the handle by spinning or peening the end thereover after the plunger has been inserted within the counterbore 34 whereby the plunger is held vtherewithinl The inwardly disposed end of the operating plunger 38 is provided with a counterbore 39, the end walls of the operating plunger being tapered to form a conical, reentrant camming surface 40. Disposed in the counterbore 39 is a coil compression spring 41 having one end engaging the end Wall of the plunger 38 and the other end disposed about a boss 44 projecting from the shank 36 and bearing against the cam 37. The spring 41 is adapted to urge the plunger and detent to opposite limit positions wherein the camming surfaces 37 and 40 slightly overlap at their ends of greatest radii, as shown in Fig. 5.

To transmit the motion of plunger 38 to the detent 35 to cause it to retract within the handle, a plurality of camming elements are disposed between the surfaces 37 and 40. Stop means to prevent the movement of the camming elements toward the yoke end of the handle are provided so that upon depression of the actuating plunger 38 the camming elements will "he urged inwardly toward the axis of the plunger to urge and bear against the camming surface 37 of the shank to urge it in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the plunger. As shown, a pair of elongated, generally cylindrical camming elements 4S having a tapered end 46 disposed between the camming surfaces 37, 40 are retained within a pair of diametrically disposed cam element receiving recesses 48 provided within the handle extending inwardly from the end wall of the counterbore 34. The inward walls of the recesses 48 are tapered outwardly from the shank in the Adirection of the` yoke end of the handle, thereby forming means to retain pivotally the end 47 of the camming elements at a point displaced radially from the shank 36. As before mentioned, the normal position of the detent and the retracting mechanism is shown in Fig. 5,A the detent 3S and the operating plunger 38 Vbeing biased outwardly to Vtheir opposite vlimit positions by the spring 41. The limit ,position of the operating plunger is determined by the engagement of the shoulders 42 and 43 of the .operating plunger 48 and tbe handle 14, respectively. The limit position of the Cil 4 detent is determined by the engagement of the camming surface 37 with the end 46 of the camming elements 45.

To cause the detent 35 to retract within the handle, the operating plunger 38 is depressed into the handle, whereupon the camming surfaces thereof will urge the ends 46 of the camming elements 45 inwardly toward the axis of the handle and cause them to bear against the camming surface 37. The force thus brought to bear against the surface 37 will urge the detent toward the plunger end of the handle so as to retract the extending end 35 within the handle, as shown in Fig. 6, and out of engagement with notch 18. The handle may then be moved to the position of Fig. 2 to wash the blade or to disengage the handle from the hook. Upon release of the operating plunger the spring 41 will urge the detent 35 and the operating plunger 38 to their normal positions.

In engaging the handle on the hook and moving it to its operative position it is not necessary to depress the actuating plunger 3,8, since the detent lwill be depressed inwardly by the nose of the hook against the force of spring 4l.

lt can be seen from the foregoing that the invention provides means whereby the razor is securely held in an operative condition against accidental release, yet whereby it may be easily assembled and disassembled.

Though reference has been made to the application of the present invention in a razor having clamping surfaces conforming to an oblique segment of a prolate spheroid, 'it should be apparent that the present invention is adapted for use with safety razors of other types. Having illustrated and described an embodiment of the invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention permits of modification in arrangement and detail. I claim as my invention all such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A razor including a cap and a guard having blade clamping surfaces conforming to a prolate spheroid, a hook element attached -to said cap and extending through said guard, a generally tubular handle having a yoke on one end thereof adapted to engage said hook, said hook being adapted to receive said handle in an angular position different from the razor operative position of said handle, a notch in said hook and a retractable detent adapted to engage said notch extending axially from said handle between the arms of said yoke and having a cylindrical shank portion movably disposed in said handle, said shank portion 'having a conical camming surface formed o n the end thereof defining an obtuse angle with the 'surface of said shank, a reciprocally movable operating plunger disposed in the end of said handle opposite said yoke and having a conical reentrant camming surface formed on the inwardly disposed end thereof, resilient means disposed between said detent and said plunger normally biasing each outwardly to opposite limit positions wherein the camming surfaces of said detent and said plunger slightly overlap at their ends of greatest radii, a plurality of elongated, generally cylindrical camming members disposed radially about said shank and having one end thereof disposed between said camming surfaces, and means pivotally retaining the other end of said camming members at a point displaced radially from said shank whereby upon depression of said actuating plunger said one end of said camming elements will be urged inwardly toward the axis of said plunger to urge ksaid camming surface of said shank in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said plunger and said detent will be retracted inwardly of said handle.

2. A razor including .a cap, a guard, a hook element 'attached to said cap and extending through said guard, and a generally tubular handle having a yoke on one end thereof adapted to engage said hook, said hook being adapted to. receive said handle in an angular position ditferent from the razor operative position of `said handle,

a notch in said hook and a retractable detent adapted to engage said notch extending axially from said handle between the arms of said yoke and having a cylindrical shank portion movably disposed in said handle, said shank portion having a conical camming surface formed on the end thereof defining an obtuse angle with the surface of said shank, a reciprocally movable operating plunger disposed in the end of said handle opposite said yoke and having a conical reentrant camming surface formed on the inwardly directed end thereof, resilient means disposed between said detent and said plunger' normally biasing each outwardly to opposite limit positions in a normal position wherein the camming surfaces of said detent and said plunger slightly overlap at their ends of greatest radii, a plurality of camming elements disposed between said surfaces, and stop means to prevent movement of said elements toward the yoke end of said handle whereby upon depression of said actuating plunger said camming elements will be urged toward the axis of said plunger to urge said camming surface of said shank in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said plunger and said detent will be retracted inwardly of said handle.

3. In combination, a safety razor having a cap, a guard and a hook element attached to said cap and extending through said guard, and a handle attached to said hook to secure the whole together in operative condition, said handle comprising an elongated generally tubular member having a bifurcated end portion adapted to receive said hook between the arms thereof, a pin secured to and extending between said arms adapted to be received by the eye of said hook in a first angular position of said handle, an axially centered detent biased normally outwardly from said tubular portion and between said arms, a notch in the outer periphery of said hook adapted to engage said detent when said handle is in a second angun lar, razor operative position, and means on said handle operatively arranged with said detent for withdrawing the same from engagement in said notch, said means comprising a motion translating mechanism mounted within said handle and operatively connected to said detent, and a plunger extending from and normally biased outwardly of the distal end of said handle and operatively connected to said motion translating mechanism to retract said detent from its outwardly extending position upon depression of said plunger whereby said detent is released from its engagement with said notch.

4. In a safety razor including a cap, a guard, a handle and a handle attachment means formed on said cap and extending through said guard adapted to receive said handle in a rst angular position and to engage said handle in a second angular razor operative position; means for locking said handle in said operative position including a retractable detent extending from said handle and a notch in said attachment means adapted cooperatively to receive said detent, and means for retracting said detent including an actuating plunger biased normally outwardly of said handle and motion translating means Within said handle operatively connected to said detent and said plunger operative upon depression of said plunger to retract said detent from engagement with said notch.

5. In a safety razor including a cap, a guard, a handle and a handle attachment means formed on said cap and extending through said guard adapted to receive said handle in a rst angular position and to engage said handle in a second angular razor operative position; means for locking said handle in said operative position including a retractable detent extending from said handle and a notch in said attachment means adapted to receive said detent, and means for retracting said detent including an actuating plunger biased normally outwardly of said handle and motion translating cam means Within said handle operatively connected to said detent and said plunger operative upon depression of said plunger to retract said detent from engagement with said notch.

6. In a safety razor including a cap, a guard, a handle and a handle attachment means formed on said cap and extending through said guard adapted to receive said handle in a lirst angular position and to engage said handle in a second angular razor operative position; means for locking said handle in said operative position including a retractable detent extending from said handle and a notch in said attachment means adapted cooperatively to receive said detent, and means for retracting said detent including an actuating plunger biased normally outwardly of said handle and motion direction reversing means within said handle operatively connected to said detent and said plunger operative upon depression of said plunger to retract said detent from engagement with said notch.

7. A detent mechanism including an elongated supporting member, a longitudinally extending axial opening in said supporting member, a detent including an elongated shank portion movably disposed within said opening and an end portion adapted to extend outwardly from one end of said supporting member, said shank portion having a conical camming surface formed on the end thereof defining an obtuse angle with the longitudinal axis of said shank, an actuating plunger movably disposed within said opening and extending from the other end of said supporting member and having a conical reentrant camming surface on the end thereof disposed within said supporting member, said actuating plunger being positioned with the camming surface thereof facing the camming surface of said shank, a plurality of elongated camming elements disposed radially about said shank, means pivotally retaining one end of said camming elements at a point displaced radially from said shank with the other end of said camming elements disposed between said camming surfaces, resilient means disposed between said detent and said actuating plunger normally urging them to opposite limit positions, said detent mechanism being operative upon depression of said actuating plunger inwardly of said supporting member to retract said end portion of said detent inwardly of said supporting member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 576,862 Lebold Feb. 9, 1897 1,296,080 Holt Mar. 4, 1919 1,468,082 Ryan Sept. 18, 1923 1,847,701 Testi Mar. 1, 1932 1,897,982 Jones Feb. 14, 1933 1,905,764 Testi Apr. 25, 1933 

